The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) took part in the 59th edition of the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Fair of Mozambique (FACIM), held under the slogan ‘Industrialisation: Innovation and Diversification of the National Economy’, in Marracuene from 26 August to 1 September.
FACIM, the largest private sector trade fair in Mozambique, aims to promote trade, stimulate production and consumption, and attract investment to the country. In this edition, more than 3,000 exhibitors from 26 countries were present, including 2,300 Mozambican companies and 750 foreign economic operators. The AICS stand was in the Italian pavilion, where 17 Italian companies presented the excellence of ‘Made in Italy’.
During the event, AICS organised a cultural programme. As part of the project to prevent and control non-communicable diseases, more than 40 visitors had their blood pressure and glycaemia measured. Those with high blood glucose and blood pressure levels received recommendations for preventing diseases such as diabetes.
In addition, the green and resilient urban infrastructure project was presented, through which the first Municipal Composting Unit will be built in Maputo, with the involvement of private sector partners.
The INCLU.DE project presented its partnership with REMOTELINE, a Mozambican company that offers sign language interpretation to facilitate communication with hearing-impaired people via WhatsApp calls.
The visitors also had the opportunity to meet various cooperatives and companies supported by AICS, such as the Kuvanga company, which sells dehydrated fruit such as mango, pineapple and coconut in Inhambane, the Barué fruit cooperative, which specialises in selling litchi, and the Ibo Coffee Producers Association, which sells Ibo coffee as part of the MAIS VALOR 1 project. The farmers from the DELPAZ Programme stressed their joy and satisfaction at taking part in the international fair in Maputo, where they were able to exhibit and sell their products, maize, beans, onions, peanuts, mapira, etc. and, above all, to showcase good practices and network, as highlighted by the report dedicated to them by the international television channel RTP, in Repórter África on 29 August.
The AICS stand attracted many visitors, including businesspeople, journalists and partners interested in Italian cooperation and in AICS’s work with the private sector in Mozambique. Among the visitors was the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, accompanied by Osvaldo Petersburgo, Secretary of State for Youth and Employment. Both had the opportunity to dialogue with the Job Creation Team Leader, Alberto Tanganelli, about AICS’s new strategy to promote innovation in employment in partnership with local entities.